got joy?
Philippians: got joy? • Sermon • Submitted
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· 5 viewsIntro sermon focusing on joy: its beginning in our identity, its sustainment in our ministry, and its culmination in our future deliverance
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Acts 16
This is a book that Paul wrote about joy…from a prison cell…and the reason he could do that is that this joy that he wrote about isn’t about joy here and now but then and there. This book is about a persevering joy, a joy that is found in Jesus, sustained by Jesus, and will ultimately be fully realized with Jesus.
Body
Body
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Authors: Paul and Timothy:
Timothy is mentioned because of his close connection with the Philippians (Acts 16:1-12; as we’ll find later in chapter 2), but it is unlikely that this was a dual effort in the letter writing
Rather it may be that Paul was implying that he was writing on behalf of Timothy as well
Also possible Timothy was Paul’s secretary
Recipients: To the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi
Saints - 1 Corinthians 1:2 “2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:”
Those sanctified and called to live sanctified
Identity: Servants of Christ Jesus
This church knew Paul, so they did not need the more traditional identification from him of “apostle”
Perhaps more than any other letter, Paul was writing this one based more on a personal relationship with the recipients than his authority as an apostle.
Doulos
“Servants” softens a word that would have been understood and read by the original audience as “slaves”
This title communicated that Paul & Timothy were not free men, but they were owned by another, specifically, Jesus Christ.
It came to be a term for Christians that carried the dual connotation of honor and humility.
Titus 1:1 - “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ...”
Galatians 1:10 - “I would not be a servant of Christ”
Philippians 2:7 - “taking the form of a servant”
This title of “slave” that has taken on such a strong negative connotation in our current culture/society, was a sign of humility and a badge of honor for the apostles. They knew as Jesus had told them, that the way up was down. And so, being eager to be great in the kingdom, they embraced an identity that might at first appear somewhat paradoxical in the here and now. That’s a mindset and an identity that we must make sure we have as well if we hope to have true joy.
P1: Realize Joy Begins with Our New Identity
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
Take your Bibles and turn over to Romans 6 with me.
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
Do you see the paradoxical paradigm of what freedom in Christ looks like here?
20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Because of the gospel, you and I now belong to God. God owns us and that. is. good.
Exodus 34:6 “6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”
Merciful
Gracious
Slow to anger
Abounding in steadfast Love
Abounding in faithfulness
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
The world says joy is found in freedom (Psalm 2:1-3)
Freedom of personhood
Freedom of expression
Freedom of identity
Freedom of morality
Illustration: Hansel and Gretel
Illustration: Vanity Fair - others influencing/discouraging godliness
The biblical concept of joy begins in a paradox: true freedom is slavery. But so is the freedom the world offers us. There is no such thing as autonomous freedom. The question is, which master do you want? Sin or Savior?
END P1
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
This is a passage you may have heard used to support the idea of the eternal security of a Christian.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will be faithful to bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
But let’s look at the context around that verse:
1:3-4 “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy...”
1:5 “because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
1:7 “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will be faithful to bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians is a prison epistle, meaning Paul was writing from Jail. And the Philippian church had really come alongside him to support him during this time and in other times in his ministry.
2 Corinthians 8:1-5
So as Paul began this letter he wanted to acknowledge this partnership in his ministry. That even in his imprisonment, they were still partnering with him not just financially, but also in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
Paul was rejoicing in their faithful service to the Lord not only because it was a benefit to him, but because he knew it would prove in the end to be a benefit to them as well.
See, joy is not only about our identity, but it’s also about our mission. Our new identity comes with a new mission, and as we get farther and farther from that conversion moment, we will need something to sustain our joy. It’s a constant focus and awareness of our mission that will do this.
P2: Sustain Your Joy in Lifelong Service (vv. 3-7)
Illustrate:
Needing bigger and better and newer and greater to stay satisfied
C.T. Studd: Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only what’s done for Christ...
This is the metric for us
1 Corinthians 10:31 “31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
This is the sustaining joy for us
This is such a great thing about Christianity.
We get to be a part of something so much bigger than ourselves. God has saved us to use us, and there is an abiding joy that accompanies that reality.
You get to see people come to faith in Jesus
You get to disciple someone and take them through Partners
You get to give some of what you earn to an organization that is doing eternal work
You get to marry someone who has a common mission
You get to have kids with purpose and raise them to follow Jesus
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. 3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
Turn in your Bibles to Ecclesiastes 2:1-11. Here’s Solomon giving us a picture of what comes from seeking joy in the world.
The type of work that the Lord is going to bring to completion at the day of Christ Jesus is the type of work that we’re commended to in the Scriptures.
It’s bearing witness
It’s believing
It’s battling
It’s bearing fruit
The source of this joy? Your relationship with Jesus.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
There is joy to be found in the mission we’ve been given.
END P2
8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Paul loved these people and wanted what is good for them.
1:8 “I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus”
1:7 “I hold you in my heart”
So he prayed for them, and because he loved them he prayed good things for them.
1:9a “that your love may abound more and more,” (1 Thess 3:12)
This is a love that is horizontal
But this kind of love only comes from a love for God and a love from God (Identity)
1 John 4:10-11 “10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Matthew 22:36-38 “36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment.”
They were doing this: 2 Cor 8:1-6
1:9b “with knowledge and all discernment”
This is a knowledge that is relational first and foremost (not simply informational)
The discernment in view is a skillful living (Proverbs), a shrewd morality
Similar to Colossians 1:9 “9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,”
1:10a “so that you may approve what is excellent”
Knowing what God desires of you
How to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel (Philippians 1:27)
What is essential?
The difference between what is good and what is best
1:10b “and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ”
An eschatological hope
What it would look like:
1:11a “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ”
1:11b “to the glory and praise of God”
Paul’s prayer for this group was that they would be continuing in their faithful service so that they would be fully prepared for the day of Jesus that’s yet to come. This prayer helps us understand what that looks like.
P3: Get Ready for Full Joy with Jesus (vv. 8-11)
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Revelation 21 paints a picture of this joy for us and what it will be like on the day we reach it once and for all.
Do you want this?
Then we should be asking what we need to be doing to get ready for it.
Illustrate:
We’re going to plant Compass NTX Lord willing in just about a year, and y’all, I can’t wait for that day.
But there’s a lot I need to be doing to get ready for that day right now.
What should our focus be between now and the day we are called home or enter eternity?
There are four levels here:
Love
Knowledge and Discernment
You’re growing in your knowledge of Christ and your ability to discern what is pleasing to the Lord
Your relationship with your parents
Your relationship with your boyfriend
Your job or pursuit of your education
Ability to approve what is best
This then leads to your ability to differentiate more easily between what is and is not glorifying to the Lord
You’re able to discern more readily what is good for your walk with Christ
Purity and holiness
Finally, you’re see a marked growth in your godliness and holiness over time
Are you closer to Jesus this year than you were last year?
Do you feel closer to Jesus?
Have your affections for him increased?
Do you want to be with him more this year than you did last year?
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
As we discussed in the last point, this is the type of life that will sustain your joy more than anything this world will offer you.
You will find joy in the present because you will be growing in your relationship with Jesus
You will find joy in the future because you will be with Jesus
22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
This is the joyful life according to the apostle Paul in the epistle of joy.
CONCLUSION:
This book is a book about joy in Jesus. It begins with Jesus, it is sustained by Jesus, and it will be fully realized when we’re with Jesus. This book is going to help us understand a lot what it looks like to live out the last 2 points. Philippians is a book about living with joy in Jesus as we await the day we will experience the full joy of Jesus.
Application Questions:
What is the gospel and how is a person saved?
Read Romans 6:15-18. What are the two different types of slavery Paul mentions here? What are some common enslavements in the world today? How would you explain to someone that being a slave to righteousness is a good thing?
Read Philippians 1:5-6. What does your current “partnership in the gospel” look like? What are some areas where you could do more? What does it mean that the Lord will bring this work to completion at the day of Jesus Christ?
Read Psalm 16:11. What does this verse have to say about the things we find joy in here on this earth? How can this verse be a motivator for us to continue to strive after godliness even when it means disciplining our bodies and battling temptation?